Plectropomus leopardus

Coral trout | Bluespotted Coral Trout | Common Coral Trout | Leopard Coral Grouper | Leopard Coral Trout | Leopard Fish
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, Great Barrier Reef, Photo: Graham Edgar
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, juvenile, QLD, Australia, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, Great Barrier Reef, Photo: Graham Edgar
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, Lady Elliot Is, QLD, Photo: Rick Stuart-smith
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus, Flinders Ribbon Reef, Coral Sea, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus
Plectropomus leopardus

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Body, head and fins with dense uniform covering of small blue spots, background colouration from olive to grey to red, blue ring around eye. Distinguished from similar Plectropomus species by having finer spots. Length to 120 cm.


Information

Max Size: 120 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 20.3-31.2°C

Depth: 3-100m

Habitat Generalization Index: 14.66

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Occurrence: Common (25.2% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (3 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields